Albert m



` March 24, 1925. K 1,530,879

A. M. BALLARD OIL AND GAS SEPARATOR Filed March 16, 1922 Patented Mar. 24, 1925.

UNITE-D rSTATES.

PATENT OFFICE. I

.ALBERT M. BALLARD, E YALE, OKLAHOMA, ASSIGNOR TO SUN lOIL COMPANY, 0F PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OFNEW JERSEY.

OIL AND GAS SEPARATOR.

Application med March' 1e, 1922. serial 116,544,301. v

To all whom may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALBERT M. BALLARD,

' a citizen ofthe United States, residing at v which the following is a full, clear, and enrachdesription, reference being had to the Yale, county of Payne, and State of Oklahoma, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Oil and Gas Separators, of

accompanying drawings, which form a part o f this specification.

v My invention relates to apparatus for separating oil and gas direct from wells. An example of such an apparatus is set forth in the Ballard Patent No. 1,327,691, January 13, 1920.

This apparatus comprises a tank havin an oil and gas inlet` a valved gas outlet near the top, a valved oil outlet near the bottom. a ioat connected with both valves and adapted, as the oil level rises, to close the gas valve and open the oil valve, and as the oil level sinks, to close the oil valve and `open the gas valve. The oat may be connected with but one of the valves, the other valve being automatic, manually operable or it vmay be omitted. t The float is guided cen-l `trally along a vertically .extending rod and carries an arm which engages a second vertically extending guide rod having lateral extensions secured to the first guide rod, thereby tending to hold the float from rotating or turning.

The object of the present invention is to improve the structure for guiding the float in its vertical movement so as to increase its stability and with more certainty prevent it from turning, and also prevent direct sliding contact between the wall ofu the tube in the float and consequent wear and premature destruction.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is shown in the accompanyingdrawings,

.whichvtween the ding across the tank are cross' bars-- o and f between which are supported a central vertically extending guide rod. g and two side guide rods h, h.

A float z' is movable vertically on the guide -rods and is connected, by links k and levers kf withA valves m on the oil outlet pipes c.

Extending through the vertical center line ofthe float is a tube 0, which is of somewhat greater diameter than the central guide rod g.. Arms fn, mon opposite sidesof the float slidably engage the side guide rods h, h.

The tube o is somewhat longer than the float c' is high, the ends of thetubes projecting respectively above and below` the vioat. Each projecting end is threaded for the reception of a 'cap or bearing p, either plain or hushed, which slidably engages the guide rod g. This bearing may have a sliding fit on the guide rod g and at any rate is of smaller diameter than the tube o, so that it absorbs all the wear arisingfrom the travel of the float upon the guide rod g.4 This keeps the lrod g from contacting with the tube o, preventing wear upon' the tube. Such wear soon produces leakage and destroys the function and use of the float.

By supporting the side guide rod or rods h independently of the central guide rod q, the float cannot turn on its axis. If the side guide rod or rodszl were secured direct to the lcentral guide rod g, as by a set screw, any loosening ofthe connection would permit the side guide rod to bodily turn about the central guide rod as yan axis, thereby preventing it from functioning in the intended manner. Moreover2 in such Ia construction, if the central gu1de rod were not firmly anchored at top and bottom, it could turn on its own axis. In either case a movement of rotation of the oat would not be prevented.

. By the improvements above described the float is elfectually prevented fromv turning, excessive wear and tear are avoided; and no strain is im osed u on the connections beoat an the valves controlling the oil outlets.

As the gas and oil enter the tank, the gas ills the tank and flows out the gas outlet d. The level'of the oil rises, lifting the float, thereby opening the valves m on the oil line. This allows vthe oil to ow into the stock tanks.- As the oil recedes, the oat falls,

4thereby moving the'valves m toward their` The cross bars e and f closed positions.

imit the up and down movementfr. the

oat.

Having new fully described my invention, whatI claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

1. In an oil and gas separator, the combination with the tank, of a fluid outlet control ioat within the tank, a tube extending vertically through the float and projecting beyond the ends thereof, a vertically extending rod of substantially smaller diameter than the tube and upon which the float is vertically guided, andannular flanged bearings secured to the ends of the tube and on thev other periphery thereof, the internal diameter of the flanges forming bearings and being less than that of the tube so that the slidin contact will be between the guide rod and t e anges, thereby avoiding wear and tear upon the tube.

2. A oat for an oil and gas separator, having a tube extending therethrough, said tube being connected to the float and having threaded ends extendingbeyond the float, and float guide rod members engaging said threaded ends having openings, guide .rod openings therethrough concentric with the tube and of a smaller diameter than the opening through the tube.

In testimony of which invention, I have hereunto set my hand, at Toledo, Ohio, on this 11 day of March, 1922.

ALBERT M. BALLARD. 

